Attorney General’s opinion on Rossi case

The state Attorney General just issued a statement to clarify the purpose of a letter from Senior Assistant Attorney General Linda Dalton stating that King County Superior court does not have legal jurisdiction in a case charging the Republican gubernatorial candidate improperly helped the BIAW raise campaign money.

Bottom line: “The lawsuit commenced in King County Superior Court will continue unless and until the judge in that case dismisses it.”

But from the looks of the letter it’s likely – according to the AG’s office.

“To the extent there are new claims in their citizen action letter, the law requires notice and opportunity for the state to investigate before a citizen action suit can be filed.”

Still waiting to find out if King County Superior Court Judge Paris Kallas agrees and forces Rossi to be deposed on Wednesday morning.

Here’s everything the AG’s office said this morning:

On Oct. 6, the Attorney General’s Office received a citizen action–or 45-day-letter–from the law offices of Smith & Lowney, PLLC.

On Oct. 9, Senior Assistant Attorney General Linda Dalton referred the letter to the Public Disclosure Commission for investigation as is standard procedure with citizen action letters received in our office. She additionally asked the Commission to take administrative action on the results of the investigation or make a recommendation to the Attorney General’s Office on the allegations.

Also on Oct. 9, Dalton sent a letter to all parties in the case related to procedural details, including:

· Alerting them that she had referred the letter to the Public Disclosure Commission for investigation;

· Advising them that to the extent claims in the Oct. 6 citizen action letter were already subject to the suit filed by the Attorney General’s Office on Sept. 19, under law, they may not be subject to the citizen action suit filed in King County Superior Court;

· Indicating that to the extent there are new claims in their citizen action letter, the law requires notice and opportunity for the state to investigate before a citizen action suit can be filed; and

· Inviting them to contact her if they believe her conclusions were in error.

The lawsuit commenced in King County Superior Court will continue unless and until the judge in that case dismisses it.

Washington state law sets forth a process for commencing citizen action suits and, as the people of the state of Washington would expect, the Attorney General’s Office intends to follow it.